The general problem of transmitting digital information from a sender to a recipient over a complex network is a well-known one. Of particular interest in connection with the instant application is the problem of moving data such as voice data from an originating source to an end recipient via an intermediary, where the method by which the information is routed is dependent on multiple time-varying factors.
Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize the general nature of the problem that is confronted by a data intermediary who seeks to connect multiple data originators (“customers”, hereinafter) with customer-specified termination points via a multiplicity of possible carriers that could potentially handle the transmission (“carriers”, hereinafter). Conceptually the problem is a simple one, i.e., take an order (e.g., accept a phone call, fax, etc.) from a customer, identify a carrier that is able to transmit the data to the required terminus, and then pickup the data from the customer and transmit to the carrier for delivery. For purposes of the instant invention, it will be generally assumed that the termination will take place outside of the United States (e.g., this would occur where a telephone call is made from the U.S. to a foreign country), although that geographic configuration is not a strict requirement.
However, a host of time-varying factors complicate the process of selecting a carrier, one of which is the cost-quality factor, i.e., the routing choice might be based on some combination of the cost, quality, and other factors. That is, and as a first example, each carrier that could possibly terminate the data transmission at a specified location might potentially charge a different rate for such a termination. Of course, it might be expected that these rates will be subject to change (e.g., in some cases hourly). Further, the quality of the communications conduit that each carrier provides may vary between carriers and from time to time. For purposes of illustration in the text that follows, it will be assumed that each carrier provides a data transmission service that can be characterized as being of at least one of two quality levels (e.g., high or low) with some carriers potentially providing all possible quality levels. Of course, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the transmission quality of the conduit offered by a carrier might change from time to time and that there could be additional refinements in the carrier's quality characterization (e.g., three, four, etc., levels of transmission quality). Finally, each carrier has a limited bandwidth that it can offer and once the maximum transmission bandwidth is reached for a given carrier, it will be necessary for the intermediary to secure the required additional bandwidth from one or more other carriers (or, in some cases, it might be necessary to adjust the preferred conduit quality requirement up or down, etc.). As a practical matter, the carrier that offers a combination of the lowest price and highest quality will typically secure orders up to its maximum bandwidth capacity.
In some instances, the intermediary will charge the customer a per-minute (or per byte, etc.) charge for data transmission. Typically, this charge will be based on the then-current fee charged to the intermediary by one or more of the carriers for the same quality of data transmission to the selected location. Of course, the rates charged by the various carriers are subject to change. In some instances, the ability of the carriers to change transmission prices is limited by contract and requires, for example, some number of days of advance notice (e.g., seven days) to the intermediary. From the standpoint of the intermediary, when a carrier changes its pricing structure there is an incentive to do the same with respect to its own customers, and this is especially true in the case where the carrier increases transmission prices. Obviously, it would be to the advantage of the intermediary to immediately increase its own transmission prices in response to an increase from a carrier. However, typically the intermediary is limited in its ability to change its own prices by the terms of contracts it has entered into with its customers, which contracts typically require a similar period of advance notice. In some instances, volume-based discounts may be available from the carrier and/or discounts might be offered to induce an intermediary to move business from one carrier to another.
In other instances, the customer may impose geographic or other routing requirements on the intermediary, which can further complicate the delivery process. For example, some customers may require the intermediary to transmit its data to the intended destination so as to avoid certain countries or travel only through a short list of approved countries. More generally, the mere fact that some customers require routings that are different from the others poses a problem.
In some instances it may be necessary to reroute a data transmission on-the-fly if, for example, a carrier experiences an intermittent problem or if a carrier cannot accommodate the sort of data that is to be transmitted (e.g., if the carrier cannot accommodate a fax transmission). An additional factor that complicates the foregoing is the dynamic nature of this business, with a near constant interaction between sales people, customers, and carriers resulting in the need for near real-time routing adjustments.
The pricing strategy utilized by the intermediary may be further complicated by a decision to, for example, agree to take an unprofitable transmission from a customer as a condition of getting a much larger and more profitable one from the same customer.
Finally, underlying all of the foregoing is the hardware network that implements the ultimate routing decision.
What is needed, then, is a method of automatically determining a voice and data routing that accommodates some or all of the factors described above. Further, such a system should be flexible enough to separately route individual customers if that becomes necessary or desirable.
Heretofore, as is well known in the data communications arts, there has been a need for a method of routing international terminations that does not suffer from the limitations of the prior art. Accordingly, it should now be recognized, as was recognized by the present inventors, that there exists, and has existed for some time, a very real need for a method of routing that would address and solve the above-described problems.
Before proceeding to a description of the present invention, however, it should be noted and remembered that the description of the invention which follows, together with the accompanying drawings, should not be construed as limiting the invention to the examples (or preferred embodiments) shown and described. This is so because those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains will be able to devise other forms of this invention within the ambit of the appended claims.